Relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis at two local parishes

By PAUL BINZ The Valley Catholic

Pastors hope patron of Eucharistic Revival will inspire young Catholics, adults in RGV 

SAN BENITO — Relics of a religious prodigy on the fast track toward sainthood have come to reside in two parishes of the Diocese of Brownsville.

The first-class relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis arrived in the Rio Grande Valley in time for the October anniversaries of his passing and beatification, which the parishes will mark with special events.

Acutis, a young Italian who in his short life evinced an extraordinary devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and who framed his faith with modern technology, died of leukemia Oct. 12, 2006 at the age of 15.

Father Joe Villalon, pastor of St. Theresa Parish in San Benito, sees great significance and promise in the arrival of the relics, which also coincides with the beginning of the National Eucharistic Revival. Acutis was named patron of the Revival at its inception in 2021.

 “I’m hoping that through the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, he will help awaken our young people, especially in these next years in the Revival of the Eucharist,” Father Villalon said. “I’m ready to see what the Lord has for us through this blessed young man. The youth are in dire need to see the beauty and reality of Jesus Christ, especially at Mass, at the consecration.”

Displaying a precocious faith starting at age four, Acutis received his First Communion at seven years old and was devoted to the Blessed Sacrament; he also did volunteer work with the poor and homeless. At school, he defended disabled classmates from bullies.

Considered a “computer geek” by many during his lifetime, he used his tech skills to create a website documenting and mapping Eucharistic miracles; he accomplished this between the ages of 11 and 14. His hopes of personally visiting many of miracle sites were dashed by his declining health. Soon after his death, calls arose for his beatification, which became a reality on Oct. 10, 2020.

At Holy Family Parish in Brownsville, half a day will be devoted to veneration of Acutis’s relic on his Oct. 12 feast day. The church will be open from noon to 6 p.m. for veneration, followed by a special Mass at 6 p.m.

“I want to foster a Eucharistic devotion. I want people to be enlivened,” Father Joshua Carlos of Holy Family Parish said. “His presence can help bring people back to Eucharistic Adoration.”
 “A lot of youth can relate to his story,” Father Carlos said. “He was like other teens. He spent time on the computer, but he used it to promote the Eucharist.”

At St. Theresa Parish, young parishioners will have a chance to be fully engaged Oct. 12.
“It's a blessing to have the relic of Blessed Carlo! Since this falls on a Wednesday our Faith Formation students have class,” parish secretary Angelica Corona said. “At the church, we play the ‘I Am With You - A Documentary On Carlo Acutis’ at 7:15 p.m. for the students, all those attending, to see a glimpse of the life of Blessed Carlo.

“Following the documentary, the Holy Mass will begin around 7:45 p.m.,” Corona said. “We are pending confirmation from Bishop Flores to be the celebrant at the Mass.”
 The parish will also have a Novena with the youth from Oct. 3-11

At Holy Family Church, the relic will find a permanent home in the sanctuary very close to Acutis’s beloved Blessed Sacrament.

“Our intention is to place the relic permanently on one side of the tabernacle,”
Father Carlos said. Father Villalon sees the arrival of the relics and the example of Acutis — the first millennial to be beatified — as transformative.

“In the past 33 years as a priest, at every parish, I tried my best to serve the young people,” Father Villalon said. “When I heard the life story of Blessed Carlo Acutis and his love for the Eucharist, I thought, ‘This is it! He will help us bring back the youth,’ because if at a young age, you can fall in love with Jesus, he will help those whose eyes have not been opened to see the beauty and the Real Presence of Jesus — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.”